Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency.
-
Two Atlanta-area startups are in the running to compete at the Founders of Color Showcase, the initiative recently disclosed.
In the latest round, 16 startups made it to the semifinals in the third annual showcase, according to an announcement from Next Wave Impact, a global impact investor syndicate.
2 Atlanta-Area Startups Make It To Founders Of Color Showcase Semifinals
The two Atlanta-area startups that have advanced are:
- Optimal Technology Corporation | Founder & CEO Reginald Parker | Austell, GA
- UnDelay | Founder & CEO Safir Monroe | Atlanta, GA
Up to seven semifinalists will advance to compete at the Showcase on May 16, 2022, in Atlantic City, N.J. and via a livestream from 4 to 6 p.m. ET.
Here are the 2022 Founders of Color Showcase semifinalists:
What Is The Founders Of Color Showcase?
The Founders of Color )FOC) Showcase is a group of investors, VC partners and angel groups who are committed to empowering minority-led startups still in the early seed stages.
The FOC is led by Alicia Robb, an entrepreneur and investor who founded the group.
During the event, the founders will get access to a key investors, funds and angel groups that are accelerating capital opportunities for high-impact minority-founded startups.
Co-hosts of the third annual Founders of Color Showcase include:
Showcase sponsors include:
- Ascent CFO Solutions
- Clean Energy Credit Union
- Signature Windows
- Queen City Angels
- Sarah Murray
- Blaudow Family Foundation
- She Invests!
Final Word
Atlanta’s tech industry is being led by several high-profile black-owned change makers from different backgrounds.
These companies want to make a difference, but they need your help.
Here’s How You Can Support Atlanta’s Black Businesses.
Got an event or know of something opening in and around Atlanta? Holla: CJ@AtlantaFi.com. See what’s poppin’ in the ATL! Subscribe to our news alerts here, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
-
One of the world’s largest tech companies teamed up with the National Parent Teacher Association to help keep metro Atlanta families abreast of privacy safeguards available to them. Google invited parents and guardians to their local office for the an Atlanta Family Online Safety Workshop.
Google, National PTA Hosts Family Online Safety Workshop In Atlanta
The event took place Monday, April 23, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Google’s Midtown office at 10 10th Street NE.
Atlanta has been chosen as the kickoff city of the pilot program, which will offer essential tips on online safety, parent-centered online safety workshops led by National PTA and information on how to keep your data safe.
Google also released the findings of its Atlanta Family Online Safety survey, which includes info culled from 1,000 Atlanta families on their online safety habits and perceptions. Here are some of the data:
- 38% use a different password for each online account
- 66% double-check the web address of links in email
- 29% use two-step verification
- 82% have spoken to their kids about the information they post online
- 81% have spoken to their kids about online bullying or harassment
- 78% have spoken to their kids about finding trustworthy information online
Lucian Teo, Google’s User Education and Outreach Manager, along with Sean Arthurs, National PTA’s Senior Manager of Education Initiatives, were on hand along with area parents and guardians.
“It has never been more important to understand the basics of online safety, and parents need a strong baseline of knowledge to teach their families how to protect their information online,” Teo said in a news release. “We’ve teamed up with National PTA to introduce our first Family Online Safety Workshop, bringing families together to share the knowledge they’ve gathered teaching their own kids to stay safe on the web.”
“As parents, we want to help guide our children so they can navigate the world and make safe, smart, informed decisions,” Teo added.
-
Autonomous vehicle company Waymo is about to launch a pilot progam in Atlanta fusing self-driving trucks to transport cargo to Google’s datacenters. The venture will be an adventurous and risky one for Waymo, which has previously only delved into self-driving sedans.
“Our software is learning to drive big rigs in much the same way a human driver would after years of driving passenger cars,” the company said in a blog post. The principles are the same, but things like braking, turning, and blind spots are different with a fully loaded truck and trailer.”
Uber has also entered the freight industry, posing a significant threat to Waymo’s piece of the big rig market.
“This pilot will let us further develop our technology and integrate it into the operations of shippers and carriers, with their network of factories, distribution centers, ports, and terminals,” Waymo added.
Atlanta is seen as a ripe testing ground for Waymo as the city has positioned itself as a smart city. Earlier this year, Atlanta issued a request for proposal (RFP) for a SmartCity Strategic Infrastructure Initiative. The aim is for the city to foster working relationships with businesses in planning and developing smart city projects.